Cartridge case for ammunition



De. 26,1950 v c. D.BURNEY 2,535,624

CARTRIDGE CASE FOR AMMUNITION Filed March 22, 1946 3 sheets-sheet 1 i is l Atta/wey Dec. 26, 1950 c. D. BURNEY 2,535,624

CARTRIDGE CASE `FOR AMMUNITION Filed March 22 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 yK//Wento MA Dmhmu l f *la i Atto/neu Dec. 26, 1950 c. D. BURNEYCARTRIDGE CASE FOR AMMUNITION 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 'Filed March 22, 1946 .'Il m l q &\\ l &\\\\\L- mA n ku* r f Y @si rl A A of'ney Patented Dec.26, 1950 OFFICE CARTRBGE CASE FOR AMMUN-ITIDN Charles Dennistoun Burney,Baynards Park, near Cranleigh, England- Application March 22, 1946,Serial No. 656,488 In Great Britain March 29, '1944 Section l, Publi-cLaw 699, August 8, 1946 Patent expires March 29, 1964 6 Claims.

VThe present invention was devised primarily for application to xedammunition, but it is alsoapplicable to cartridge cases for thepropellant charges of ammunition which is not of the fixed type i. e.the projectile and its propellant charge or charges are loadedseparately into the breech chamber.

The invention has foi` its object to provide improved cartridge casessuitable for use with recoilless and other guns, in which it isnecessary to provide for the free passage of propellant gases not onlyto the base of the projectile, but also to a surrounding space orchamber, which, in the case of recoilless guns, may be fitted with anozzle or nozzles through which the gases escape freely to atmosphere.

According to the invention the propellant is contained in a cartridgecase Which has the required mechanical strength but on firing oierslittle or no resistance to the passage of the combustion gases radiallyinto the surrounding gas space with which the nozzle or nozzlescommunicate.

To this end the cartridge case may have a double cylindrical Wall,comprising a perforated metal wall, land an imperforate Wall capable ofdisintegrating or being consumed on explosion, one wall being .disposedwithin the other so that when the imperforate wall is destroyed onfiring,

the perforated wall, which remains, allows the free passage of the gasesinto the surrounding gas space.- There may, for example, be a wall ofwaterproof paper or thin metal foil, disposed either outside, butpreferably Within, the perforated metal wall of the case.

The cartridge case may be of the same diameter as the projectile, or itmay be greater in diameter than the projectile, in which case it may befurnished at its forward end with a neck of reduced diameter in whichthe rear end of the projectile i'lts. A shoulder may be formed at thejunction of the neck with the forward end of the casing which engageswith a shoulder where the barrel bore joins the cartridge chamber. Therear end of the outer casing may be fitted with a ring or cap to carrythe firing cap and primer, said ring being radially flanged to provide aperipheral rim in the manner usual with cartridge cases. If desired thediameter across the flange or rim may be less than the maximum diameterof the ring and outer casing of the cartridge.

According to a modification the propellant charge may be divided intotwo parts each contained in a casing according to the invention,

such as a perforated outer metal casing with an imperi-crate innerlining as already described, one of `said partial charges being disposedbehind the projectile .and the other part being disposed at the side ofthe projectile, and being of a length substantially equal to the overalllength of the rst p art of the charge and the projectile.

According to another modified construction the cartridge casing may bebuilt up of metal rods to form a cage-like cylinder into vwhich thecharge, contained in a fabric bag, or container of waterproof andconsumable material, 4is loaded. Thus the casing may comprise a frontend ring joined to a rear end cap by parallel rods arranged incylindrical formation; the said rods being encircled at several pointsbetween their ends by longitudinally spaced rings or bands adapted toprevent outward bulging of the rods on firing.

These bands may be closer together towards the rear end cap of the case,to give greater support to the rear portion of the charge if foundde:irable.

In order to give satisfactory obturation, the cylindrical double walledcartridge casing may be fitted into a base piece having a free skirtportion which can expand independently of the casing, and is preferablyreduced in thickness by an internal groove, or by tapering, tofacilitate its expansion into close contact with the surrounding chamberwall or breech ring.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into practice it is illustrated, by way of example only, by theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a cartridge case for fixedammunition, for use lin quick firing recoilless guns;

Figure 2 isa longitudinal section of a cartridge case for a propellingcharge separate from the projectile, of a recoilless gun of heaviertype;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of a cartridge case for fixedammunition, in which the projectile is -of less diameter than thecartridge case;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of a modied form of cartridge casefor xed ammunition, whereby the overall length of the projectile andcartridge case is reduced, and

'Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view thereof.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a modified construction in whichthe cartridge case is of skeleton construction, and

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view thereof.

VReferring to Figure 1, the cartridge case comprises a flanged -cupshaped base piece l into which is screwed an open ended sheet metalsleeve or cylinder 2 of brass or steel, in which perforations 3 areformed. The forward end of the sleeve 2 is reduced in thickness at 4, sothat it can readily be crimped into a groove round the base of a shelltted into the mouth of the sleeve. To facilitate obturation the basepiece I has a skirt 5 reduced in thickness so that the gas pressure canreadily expand it into tight contact with the wall of the cartridgechamber, or breech block ring surrounding said base piece.

In order to protect the propellant charge loaded into the perforatedcylinder or casing 2 from atmospheric influence, the casing 2 may belined with glazed or waxed paper or like waterproof material 6, whichbecomes consumed when the propellant is fired, and then allows freeescape of the gases from the sleeve 2 into the surrounding chamberspace. Alternatively the lining 6 may consist of thin metal foil, suchas brass or copper, which burns or disintegrates on firing. If desiredthe paper or other lining 6 may be cemented into the perforated metalsleeve 2. The screw thread on casing 2 may also be cemented beforescrewing into base piece I.

Referring now to Figure 2, which shows a cartridge case for largecalibre ammunition, in the case of which the projectile and propellantcharge are separately loaded, the construction is substantially the sameas that of Figure l, but the forward end of the perforated casing 2 isnot reduced in thickness for crimping round the shell base. The open endof the casing 2 is in this case closed after the propellant has beenloaded into the casing, by a leather or bre cap 'I which may be providedwith a tab 8 to facilitate its removal before ring. If desired, however,the cap 1 may be left in and not removed before ring.

Figure 3 illustrates a construction of cartridge case for fixedammunition in which the projectile is of less diameter than thecartridge casing 2. The construction of the cartridge casing issubstantially as in Figures 1 and 2, corresponding parts beingcorrespondingly numbered, but the front end of the casing 2 is fittedwith a metal cover piece or cap 9 having a reduced neck Il) to receivethe base of the projectile, which may be provided with a groove intowhich the neck I0 can be crimped.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a modified construction for iixed ammunitionwhereby the combined length of the charge and projectile may be reduced,and the speed of automatic loading thereby increased.

The propellant charge is in this case divided into two parts, one ofwhich is disposed behind the projectile II and enters into the breechchamber of the gun, and the other of which is disposed by the side ofthe projectile, so as to enter into a lateral chamber space I2.

The two sections of the charge are housed in perforated metal casings 2,2a as in the previous constructions, but the casing 2a is of a lengthapproximating to the combined lengths of the casing 2 and projectile II.The two casings 2 and 2a, are screwed into a common base piece la whichis of oval shape and may be fitted with separate firing caps andprimers, either or both of which may be used for firing the combinedcharge, the ignition of one charge necessarily leading to the ignitionof the other charge.

As in the previous constructions the cases 2, 2a are lined with paper,metal foil or other consumable or disintegrable material 6, and obtura-`4 tion is obtained by expansion of the skirt 5 of the base piece Iaagainst the wall of the cartridge chamber or breech ring opening intowhich the base piece la fits.

It should be understood that various modifications may be made in theconstructions herein described and illustrated vwithout departing fromthe invention. For example, the perforated Wall may, if desired, be theinner wall of the casing, being enclosed in an imperforate wall or layerof waterproof paper, metal foil, or the like.

According to the modied construction illustrated by Figures 6 and 7, thewall of the cartridge case is replaced by a series of longitudinalparallel rods I6 extending from base piece I to a ring I4 at the frontend of the cartridge, to enclose a cylindrical space to accommodate thecharge. The rods I6 are encircled by a plurality of longitudinallyspaced rings or bands I'I welded to rods II6 at W which are preferablyspaced closer together towards the base piece I. The detonator orpercussion cap screws into the hole i3 in base piece I. The cap I5 isprovided on ring I4.

I claim:

l. Ammunition for quick firing breech loaded guns having a breechchamber of greater diameter than the bore of the gun barrel, comprisingin combination, a disc-shaped base piece; a cartridge case having acylindrical wall of apertured construction and mounted on said basepiece concentrically with the same; a projectile tted into the mouth ofsaid cartridge case; and a relatively short spacing ring having agreater diameter than Vsaid cartridge case and mounted on said basepiece spaced from said cartridge case, said relatively short spacingring being open at its front end so as to communicate with said breechchamber when it is inserted into the same, spacing said cartridge casefrom the wall of the breech chamber.

2. Ammunition for quick firing breech loaded guns having a breechchamber of greater diameter than the bore of the gun barrel, comprisingin combination, a disc-shaped base piece; a cartridge case having acylindrical wall of apertured construction and mounted on said basepiece concentrically with the same; a projectile tted into the mouth ofsaid cartridge case; and a relatively short spacing skirt having agreater diameter than said cartridge case and mounted on said base piecespaced from said cartridge case, said relatively short spacing skirtbeing open at its front end so as to communicate with said breechchamber when it is inserted into the same, spacing said cartridge casefrom the wall of the breech chamber.

3. Ammunition for quick firing breech loaded guns having a breechchamber of greater diameter than the bore of the gun barrel, comprisingin combination, a disc-shaped base piece; a cartridge case being ofskeleton construction and including a plurality of parallel rods mountedon said base piece and a, plurality of rings secured to said rods attheir free ends and at intervals along their lengths; and a relativelyshort annular spacing projection having a greater diameter than saidcartridge case and provided on said base piece concentrically with saidcartridge case. Y

4. Ammunition for kquick ring breech loaded guns having a breech chamberofvgreater diam-V eter than the bore ofthe gun barrel, comprising incombination, a base piece; a first apertured 5, cartridge casecontaining apropellent charge and mounted on said base piece; aprojectile tted into the mouth of said first cartridge case; a secondapertured cartridge case containing also a propelient charge and mountedalso on said base piece; and a relatively short spacing ring mounted onsaid base piece surrounding the rear end portions of said cartridgecases, spacing the same from the Wall of the breech chamber.

5. Ammunition for quick iiring breech loaded guns having a breechchamber of greater diameter than the bore of the gun barrel, comprisingin combination a substantially elliptical base piece; a first cartridgecase having a cylindrical Wall of apertured construction and mounted onsaid base piece; a projectile tted into the mouth of said rstcylindrical cartridge case; a second cartridge case having also acylindrical wall of 6. Ammunition for quick ring breech loaded ,I

guns having a breech chamber of greater diameter than the bore of thegun barrel, comprising in combination, a disc-shaped base piece; acartridge case having a cylindrical Wall of apertured construction andmounted on said base piece concentrically with the same; a projectiletted into the mouth of said cartridge case; and a relatively shortspacing ring having a greater diameter than said cartridge case andmounted on said base piece concentrically with said cartridge case,spacing said cartridge case from the wall of the breech chamber.

CHARLES DENNISTOUN BURNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,024,373 Sowards Apr. 23, 19121,311,021 Spear July 22, 1919 1,487,214 Dazendorf Mar. 18, 19242,052,546 Brandt Sept. 1, 1936 2,096,698 LoWy Oct. 19, 1937 2,229,208Holm Jan. 21, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 484,346 GreatBritain May 4, 1938

